Classic citrullinemia

Overview

Citrullinemia is an autosomal recessive urea cycle disorder that causes ammonia and other toxic substances to accumulate in the blood. Since the substances also accumulate in the urine, the disorder can also be called citrullinuria.

Two forms of citrullinemia have been described, both having different signs and symptoms, and are caused by mutations in different genes. Citrullinemia belongs to a class of genetic diseases called urea cycle disorders. The urea cycle is a sequence of chemical reactions taking place in the liver. These reactions process excess nitrogen, generated when protein is used for energy by the body, to make urea, which is excreted by the kidneys.

 

Treatment

There are multiple treatment methods. Low protein diets, are intended to minimize production of ammonia. Arginine, sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate help to remove ammonia from the blood. Dialysis may be used to remove ammonia from the blood when it reaches critical levels. In some cases, liver transplant has been successful.